Direction-signal for automobiles.



C. J. GLUNZ.

DIRECTIONYSIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATIOE' FILED'- MAY 23; I9!- I Patented Dec. 10,1918.

INVENTQR' WITNESSES ATTOYRINEY A device which will 1 SA ES PATENT OFFICE.

' .cnaanns a. ,;ei.unz,. or EOTTSVILLE,

amen-mum.

nmno'rro'n, sreimit son auroiaonrnns,

.- and useful Direction-Signal" for Automot l tion.

This invention relates to direction signalof which the following is a specificw,

.io i'ng devices for automobiles. v

The object isto provide a device ofvthis' .character,"which is capable of being readily arranged for operation by either. the hand.

or the foot of'thedriver, to project into view 15 means for attracting the attention of followingautomobile drivers or of crossing pow licemen, or others, and indicate to the same that a turn is about tobe made' Another object is to give the desired signal or warning at nighttime as well as during. the

day, the night signaling means including ana electric light which is automatically cut out for day use by-swi'tching as the usual light- '25 fing system of.

the car, the day signaling .--n 1 e a 'ns and that constituting part of the night signaling means, consisting of a flag adapted to be unfurled and simultaneously uncovered and allowed to flutter in the B0 breeze to attract attention, or. to be rolled up and withdrawn from view within a housing, upon the manipulation means. 1 f

A further object is to construct a device for. such purpose, havingfew parts to become deranged and which may be readily.

installed in acar upon the inner wall of the body thereof, to one side and in advance of the operator, so as to occupy a minimum amountof space and to be readily accesslble for operation. 1 v

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a considoration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification;

it being understood that while the drawing shows a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conform ty therewith, but may be changed or modified, so long as such, changes or modificat ons mark no material departure from the sahent features 1 of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

85 In the drawing, in which like reference "Specification of Letters Patent.- Application filed May 23, 1918.

supporting bracket provide a signaling of the operating Seria1No.236,226.

characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures:

' Figure 1 1s a perspective view illustrating the device of the present invention in. in

stalled position in the body of a car;

" Patented Dec. 10,1915;

Fig. 2 1s a horizontal sectional view through the flag housing and showing the means for supporting the same;

Fig, 8 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view, talgen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking lnthe direction of'the arrow;

n Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line H of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5'is a detail for the flag housing;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same;

., Fig. 7 is adetail view of the keeper for the operating lever of the device.

The improved signaling device of the piresent invention is illustrated in Fig. 1 0 hand side of the car, and adjacent to the dash, but it will, of course, be understood that in some cars the same may be located at the opposite or right hand side thereof, depending upon the makeof the car and the rules governingtratli'c where the car may be used. It will furthermore be observed that the flag housing 1 is shown as being attached to the windshield of the automobile, but I do not wish to be limited ment, as the said housing, together with the parts carried thereby, may be equally well attached to the side of the car, upon the outside thereof, and adjacent to the top of the same," so that the flag will be readily ob-' served, when unfurled, in a manner tobe explained; In addition to this, it will be seen that the operating vice is shown as consisting of a foot lever, but it will be readily granted that the same may be in the form of a hand lever and so located'as to be within easy. reach of the hand of the driver of the'car.

The flag housing 1 consists of asemi-cylindrical casing of sheet metal, of a length sufii cient to cover a flag 2 of suitable dimensions, when the same is rolled upon a spring-actu ated roller 3, as will become apparent, the sides of the semi-cylindrical casing extend ing somewhat below the rolled flag 2, so as to exclude rain, snow, etc., and otherwise protect the same. 1

The housing 1 is arranged-at right angles to the length of the car and is adapted" to perspective view of the the drawing as being installed in the left means-for the despring-winding pintle 5, which 7 said extension 2 5 extend outwardly from the side thereof, the flag 2, when unfurled, may be readily seen from in front of the car e s, for instance, to signal to a crossing police-v man, or to others, or may be visible from the rear to caution following cars that a turn is about to be made.

The housing 1 is provided, at itsouter end with an end wall 45, having a; suitable aperture for the reception of a rectangular is connected to aspring 6, in the ordinary manner, the spring 6' being mounted within the. roller 3 for normally winding the flag 2 thereon,

vwhile the opposite or innerend of theroller 3 is provided with the usual round pintle 7 mounted to freely rotate in the upper end of an extension 8, which is riveted or otherwise secured to a supporting bracket 9.

The supporting bracket- 9 is formed of suitable sheet metal formed into a fiat horizontally-dis'posed platform 10, and a verti- Cally-disposed inner wall 11, to which the 8 is secured. At one end, the

bracket 9' is provided with a curved clamping member 12, adapted to coact with a detachable and adjustable clamping member 13, through the mediumo'f a clamp nut 14tv for securing the bracket 9 to the windshield of the automobile, as will be readily under' stood. The bracket, together with the ex tension 8 and the clamping member. 12.,may. however, be formed of a single casting, ii preferred.

The housing 1' is provided, at its inner end, with outwardly extending flanges 15, which are adapted to be riveted, or otherwise secured to the platform 10 of the bracket 9 to support the housing and the parts carried thereby in extended, horizontal position. i i

T he major portion of the winding roller 3 is of suliicient diameter to cause the complete winding of the flag 2 thereon, upon two or three revolutions of the said roller. while the inner end of the latter is reduced, as indicated at 16, for the reception of an actuating strap 17, formed of leather, canvas or the like, which is adapted to be wound thereon and to have its free end pulled, in a manner to be explained, to cause the rotation of the roller against the action of the spring 6 and the simultaneous unwinding of the flag 2. By reducing the diameter of the roller, as at 16, where the strap 17 is attached, the amount oi'longitudinal movement imparted to the strap necessary to completely unwind the flag. is reduced, as

will be readily understood.

The free end of the strap 16 is connected to a chain 18, or other fi'exible connection,

which extends downwardly and is attached; at its lower end, toan operating lever 19, at an intermediate point of the latter. The lever 19 is shown .in the form. of a foot lever having a treadleportiong iiw 'for the engage mentby the foptvof the driver, while the forward end of the-lever is fulcrumed to a bracket 21 secured to the dashboard of thecar. The said lever may, *however, as has beenstated, consist ofa'hand lever attached inany convenient manner and location.

The lever 19 is adapted to move in an upand-down rhovemenhadjacent to the inner side of the wall of theflcar, and to be guided in a keeper 22 attached thereto, the pressure of the foot'of the operator causing the lever to be lowered, while the spring, 6 within the roller .3 will act to elevate the leverand wind up the flag, when the lever is 'released.

A. leaf spring 23, secured to thein'ner side of the keeper 22, engages 'over the top of the lever when the latter is depressed, and

serves to hold the same down to allow the side of the car, as indicated. at 26, the said contact points 25 being ad'a ted; to be bridged by a conductor plate2 carried by the le er' 19 and insulated therefrom, as at lever. is in its lowered" 28, when the said position,

At the outer end of the housing I and upon the top thereof, there is located an electric lamp of the two-way type, adapted, when lighted, to throw rays of light for-- wardly in advance. of the car and-backwardly at the same time. The lamp 29 is secured centrally of the housing by ,a suitable clamp nut 30, the electrical connections 31 leading therefrom, passing. through the clamping means and being secured to the underside of the housing 1 and upon one side thereof by spring clips 32, which are open atone end to permit of the detachment oi said conductors 31 when desired. The flag winding roller- 3 is arranged to one side of the center of the housingl in order'to prevent any interference of. the flag with the connections 31 or the-clips 32.

One of the connections 31 leads directly to one of the contact points 25, while the contact points 25 and insulated from the the roller 3, as will be understood, and is 1 weighted at the lower point, as indicated at merits of the invention thelei r 34, to insure its unwinding actioii when the roller actuated by pressure of the foot upon the lever, and the flag is preferably made of durable material, of

some color designating danger, such as. red, so as to.

more readily attract attention. By reason of the fact thatthe flag is at tached to the roller alone, the said flag is free to flutter'in the "breezefcaused by the moving automobile-and by its movements, the eye is more readily attracted than if the flag were held stationary.

'In'the operationof the device, the driver, upon approaching a corner where he may wish-do 19 with his foot when the lever will be retained by the spring 23 and-theflag 2 brought to View and, if at. night, the lamp 29 caused to light up both sides bf the flag the signal, until the turn is made, when b s mply pressing or kickin its engagement by .the retaining spring 23,

' otheroperation;

automobiles has been and. to thrpw rays in advance and in rear thereof. .If, however,

alone willsuflice as a signal, since the light is automatically. cut ..out when the lighting system of the car is cut out,

which is usually done in the daytime.-': The foot may then be used to operate the brakes, etc., without the necessity ofpaying any further attention to g the lever out of.

the said lever, through the action of the winding spring 6' will be elevated and the flag wound upon-the roller, ready for an- From the" foregoingy it' is "thought the will be appreciated, and it will be seen-that a simple, durab1e and easily operated signaling device for cheaply manufactured, sold at alow cost and easilyinstalledin any make of car.

IW'hat is claimed is:

' the car, a winding roller mounted for rotation beneath the-housing,- a signal flag attachedto the rollerand adapted to bewound there0n,i"said flag when :unfurled depending from the roller so as to-flutter in the air, "a flexibleIconnection wound upon a por- .tion of the roller and extending down Within the body' 'of the car, and a lever mountedv 2. A direction signal for automobiles, com 7 prising an elongated, rseml-cylindrical signal housing, arranged to shed for up-and-vdown movement within the bodyof the 'car' and connectedto the lower end of the flexible connection.

means wherebvit may be along: its upper edge ,turnto the left, has only to press it is daytime, the flag,

y ried by provided, that" may be 1. A direction signal for automobiles, comprising a signal-housing adapted to be secured in position to project from'the side of water and having .secured in laterally projecting relation to the side of the car, a spring-actuated winding roller mountbeneath the housing. and longiinner end, of the depend therefrom so as to flut+ roller and having connection'with'the said flexible connection, .whereby "the said roller may be actuated. 3. 'A directiomsignal for automobilescomprising a housingformed of sheet metal of semi-cylindrical form, arranged convex side up and disposed transversely to the car, an

end wall, formedat the outer end thereof and having a bearing,

outstanding flanges carriedby the innerend thereof, an angular bracket having a horizontally-disposed plat-. form adapted to have the flanges of the-hous;

. ing secured thereto and provided with coact ing jaws for clamping to the windshield of the automobile for securing the housing in laterally projectingposition, a bearing carsaid brackpt-and in alinement with the first-named bearing, a spring-actuated roller mounted for rotation in the bearing and having a reduced inner end, a flag wound upon the larger portion of the roller, a lever mounted for up-an -down movement within the'car beneath the inner end of the .roller and a flexible connectionhaving its "upper end portion normally woundupon the reduced portion of the 'roller and connected at itslower-end to the said lever.

. 4. A'direction signal for automobiles comprising a signal housing,

means for securing said housing in outstanding relation to theside' of the car, a horizontal" roller mounted longitudinally of the housing and transversely of the car, a signal flag woundupon said roller adapted to depend from the rolled When 'unwound' and to flutter in the airti means of weighting the free end-of the flag, means for normally winding the flag upon the roller, a vertically movable lever mounted within the car, anda flexible connection with the roller to unwind the'fl'ag againstthe action of the winding-means.

In testimdny that I claim the foregoing as my own I have. hereto afiixed my sl na -in' the presence of two witnesses.

g cH nLns-J. GLUNZ. "Witnesses: I I Q HpB. M00001, FRAN P. CLA1=1 1N. 

